Convert Website Traffic Into Regular Reader Traffic
Yesterday I wrote an article and published a video that helps you learn how to increase website traffic. Today, in this article I talk about how to convert that same traffic into regular reader traffic. (Video included).
To summarize what is on the video. I talk about first impressions. How does your blog look to others? Does your site design knock your readers off their feet? Do they say, “Wow!!!”
Second thing is installing the Top Commentator WordPress plugin.
I focus on rewarding my readers with a site wide search engine friendly link to their blog for commenting on my blog. When people comment on your post, their comment becomes an extension of your post. As with any type of publishing, authors should be acknowledged as the writers of their content. By displaying the Top Commentator on your blog, you publicly acknowledge that these few people are the leading content contributors for your blog. You can download the Top Commentator plugin here.
Third thing I look at is promoting my RSS feed and newsletter. I use Feedburner to handle both for me. Feedburner completely manages my RSS subscriptions as well as provides an email notification service to people who opt in to receive an email when I publish new content.
Overall, if you take a look at these three elements, you will increase your regular reader traffic.
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19 comments
Garry, good reminders. Unfortunately for some of us, our readers aren’t so savvy to sign up. My crowd is older golfers and they just don’t get it. I’ve tried to encourage them via emails, but unless there is a SUPER SIMPLE way to show the value of subscribing, markets like mine will be hard to grow
Plugin that enables to see top commentator is one of my favorite if not the most favorite plugins that I use for my Wordpress blog. As a reader myself I am always attracted to commenting if the author has this plugin installed. In long run those blogs that have this feature will win.
Garry, I installed the Top Commentators plugin. Thanks for the tip.
@ Mike,
Going to your blog, you have a video that is “auto playing” in the blog post. I had to scroll down to find out where the hell it was coming from. I went to your blog to help again take a look see, and this was the very first thing I did… I skipped over all the important stuff in search for this loud auto playing video.
Now, having that said… the concept of doing a video on the Internet is amazing! I would place a product presentation video on the top fold of your page. Make it auto play but then when you do individual videos on your blog post.. make sure those don’t.
Second thing, instead of saying, “get my free ebook now” button, I would say, “Play Golf Better – Click Here!”
You have the DVD set… which I believe is the main product you are trying to sell. If that is the case I would have that be the first thing people, see, hear and TASTE!!! Make a video on your DVDs (you might already have one) and show case that video top, front and center:
Make is clearly known the purpose of this DVD and make sure that every visitor physically makes eye contact with this video.
I believe that with a few tweaks, you will increase your sales. Everyone who plays golf wants to improve their game. Your blog/site is awesome… there is no doubt that this won’t make more money for you.
@ MarriedMelody,
You are very right and I look for the same thing on other blogs too! I want to know that I will be rewarded for commenting on another blog. Don’t get me wrong, I am going to leave a comment on any article I like… but its really cool to know that if I write a lot of great quality comments, that my work will be rewarded.
@ David,
You are welcome! Now go blast out a blog article today and tell everyone about it and watch your comments spike! Write an article that asks readers for their opinions or feedback… keep things short and sweet and I think that will attract a lot of people to comment.
More posts like your most recent should rock and roll for you. What an awesome post dude! With your newly installed Top Commentator and people seeing how “EASY” it is to get their link included site wide on your blog, I would imagine that comments should to up. Again, your timing is perfect too. Your most recent post that talks about going beyond your niche is spot on.
Garry, thanks for the brutal (and honest) feedback
Are you saying have a product demo/marketing video in place of the golf course you circled above? Man…that would make the site butt ugly. I have my PBG.com banner in upper right nav, but obviously visitors are not seeing it or do not know I offer golf fitness products.
Don’t like to be doing this analysis in the public, so I think I’ll stop there.
Garry, I would appreciate some brutal/honest feedback to my blog too. I only launched it 10 days ago, I am getting about 60 visitors a day, but no clicks. I do get quite a few subscribers to my mailing list since I am giving away free lists of domains.
What else can I do to improve my blog usability/readability?
From your other post I read about the top commenters plugin, so I will definitelly be adding that.
Garry, there you have another way of making money: an internet marketing service. You could call it “Brutal advice from Garry”.
@ Mike,
Hey man… I wasn’t trying to be brutal… just helpful.
Public analysis is a great way to help the individual while at the same time helping everyone that reads the post/comments.
@ John…
With your site being so new, its hard to say right now. Judging by appearance right now, it seems pretty cool. I would switch position with most recent posts and categories on the right sidebar. If the two things that are important to you are growing your email list and getting Adsense clicks, I would then replace the 468×60 Adsense graphic with the mailing list subscription email form. Then I would use a 200×200 or a 250×250 Adsense block and put that in your individual posts and have the content wrap around it. Directly below your “Kick Ass” header graphic I would add the Adsense 728×90 leader board and make sure its positioned to the left.
Google seems to like what they see so far. Also, your individual post pages pull up nicely according to their titles.
Overall, I would say that you have a very healthy blog. Keep an eye on your total index count and make sure that you keep the robots feed with new content.
@ Joost,
You are always thinking for me! Sounds like this would be a lot of fun.
LOL, if you need any help…..
I hardly see this – a top blogger and online marketer providing consultations right away – you continue to surprise me with your generosity, Garry!
The few tips provided to Mike and John are very handy for anyone.
I was wondering my my wife always puts me in the dog house. She wants me to keep showing her the $$$ and says that I am just giving it all away for free!
Wow, thanx for the advice Garry!
I already took some advice from one of your posts before… I put in the top commenters feature in the right sidebar.
I will look into incorporating what you advised into the site now.
I added you to my blogroll
.
Maybe soon I can get on yours!
Thanx!
John
Garry, I took your advice and placed the leaderboard ad just below the header graphic, also i rearranged the widgets as you suggested, and I put some 250×250 ads in the full posts.
I think it looks a lot better now
, thanx for the advice mate!
John you’re welcome man!
Analyze, adapt, adjust…
So run with what you have now for at least two weeks. Review your stats and assess your performance compared to what you had prior… if there is improvement, great! Then tweak it again and see if you can squeeze even more… after two week… if performance drops, roll back…
That is all I do… I test, tweak and analyze, adapt and adjust.
>> Some times too much! < <
Hey Garry,
I just got here and can’t figure it uot if this is a blog or a website?
Tommy
Hello Tommy,
Traditionally, this would be classified as a blog. A blog is a very much like a website but has a more modern twist to it, as it is a type site that interacts publicly with the visitors who read it via the comments section.
The word “blog” derives from the word “web log” which in the mid to late 90’s was defined as a website that was used for the purpose of being an online journal. Today, this term has been shorten and is called “blog”.
A blog also typically has an RSS feed. The RSS feed is basically an unformatted copy of the content found in the blog. RSS in common terms stands for really simply syndication. The concept isn’t much different than a syndicated television show.
My blog has an antenna and it broadcasts a signal. People who want to pick up on the signal can do so by using an RSS reader. Most modern email desktop clients such as Microsoft Mail or Thunderbird are RSS ready. The most common program to use is Google Reader. I personally recommend using that.
Whenever you see one of these two graphics on a blog or website:
… that means that the site is available in syndication. The point of providing syndication is so that readers can read new content published on the blog or site without having to physically visit the site.
I hope this information helps you. If you should have any additional questions, please feel free to ask. Welcome to my blog, I always love having new readers! Try subscribing to my RSS feed by clicking here.
[...] reason for this is because I do not want to be so dedicated to my stats. A new blog I cam across is Gary Conn, one of his post speaks on getting traffic to your website, but he concentrates more on [...]
I like the Top Commentators’ plugin. It does make it more attractive to post comments. But hey, I do not see it here!
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